Facebook flytipper could be jailed for 'significant' dumping across Doncaster

David Kessen

A man is facing a possible jail sentence after advertising his services on Facebook and flytipping rubbish across Doncaster.

James McIntyre has been warned he could be sent to prison today after he was found and taken to court by Doncaster Council.

Mr McIntyre, of Farringdon Drive, Rossington, aged 32, admitted seven charges of disposing of controlled waste without an environment permit and was due to be sentenced today.

The court heard how he had advertised his services on Facebook as 'James the Van Man', on a page called Things for Sale in Doncaster.

Mark Cundy, prosecuting, said Doncaster Council was tipped off about each case of flytipping and sent investigators out to the scene. They traced who the waste had belonged to and found in each case that the individuals had paid McIntyre to dispose of their rubbish.

The first charge, dating back to November 2016, related to rubbish found at Pastures Road, Mexborough including cardboard packaging and a sofa.

The others charges involved a sofa dumped on Scorcher Hills Lane, Burghwallis in December 2016; Bedroom furniture and bin bags dumped at Long Lands Lane, Woodlands, in February; items including a sink and hairdressers chair ditched at Carr Side Lane, Hatfield in March; and old shed and baby bath flytipped on Old Bawtry Road, Finningley in April. He also admitted dumping items at Whittington Street in Wheatley on two occasions, once in March and once in April..

McIntyre had been paid between £20 and £40 to take the items away.

He had been interviewed under caution by council officials in March, but offended again.

In his defence, James Gray said McIntyre had not dealt with polluting or hazardous material, but had disposed of houshold and small business items.

He committed the offences after struggling to ind work after moving back to Doncaster and admitted the allegations early on.

"He is now doing gardening work with with no risk of this sort of offending or any other,' he added.

Presiding magistrate Kelvin Wigham said: "Mr McIntyre, you have operated a business that has flouted environment laws. This is deliberate spoiling of the environment on what we consider to be a significant scale, part of a business, and we believe this is imprisonable. We would like a report on all sentencing options to be made.."